Our squad was founded in 1941 by Roy Kane. Roy Kane made history in 1928 when he helped to found the first volunteer rescue squad in the United States in Roanoke, Virginia, along with John Wise. This group was called the Roanoke Life Saving Crew. Mr. Wise was driven to begin the rescue squad in Roanoke after he was unable to assist two men who capsized in a canoe and drowned.
Roy Kane went on to help found the first rescue squad in Winston-Salem in 1937. The squad attended to emergencies such as traffic accidents and drownings and provided ambulance services. It boasted one of the state’s first Jaws of Life tools. The Squad was merged into Forsyth County EMS in 2009 and disbanded in 2013.
The Elkin Emergency Rescue Squad is now the oldest continually operating Rescue Squad in North Carolina.
